Chocolate Dutching process

There are two types of cocoa powder, natural (non-alkalized) and Dutch-process (alkalized).

Alkalized cocoa is made in the same manner as natural process cocoa except that the nibs are treated with alkali at the time of roasting. During cocoa processing: the process cake is separated from the fat (cocoa butter), and ground. The percent fat left in the ground powder is from 10 to 25%.

This cocoa powder is not very soluble in water. A process of solubilizing the cocoa powder was developed by C.J Van Houten. The process was novel in that it used alkali.

The addition of alkali produces a pH of 6.0 to 8.8 in Dutch process chocolates. In contrast, the pH range without the Dutching process is about 5.2 to 6.9.

Chocolate products without added alkali are referred to as natural chocolate.

One of the benefits of Dutch cocoa or chocolate is its reduced tendency to settle out when combined with liquids. The Dutching process develops a more soluble and darker in color.

It also brings out a full fine chocolate flavor, reduces the potential for bitterness and counteracts the acid flavor found in a natural process cocoa.
Chocolate Dutching process

Cocoa Powder Processing

Cocoa powder is a valuable flavoring material in baked goods and desserts as well as the basis of hot chocolate drinks.

Like chocolate, cocoa powder is made from cocoa beans that have processed into a paste known as chocolate liquor. Using a hydraulic press, produces remove between 50 and 75 percent of the cocoa butter from the chocolate liquor and then pulverize the remaining solids to make cocoa.

The commercial powder varies in color and flavor, dependent upon the quality the beans used, the degree of roasting and precise method.

The good quality cocoa powder has the following characteristics:
*PH: 5.6 to 7,.1 dependent upon whether or not the cocoa beans were processed with alkali.
*Fat: about 24% and not less than 22%
*Moisture: 3-4%

The cocoa powder is made into a drink and can be added to milk, cakes and ice cream. The beans contain the stimulant alkaloid, theobromine (about 2.5 percent) and about 0.8 percent caffeine, but these quantities are reduced after processing.

Cocoa differs from the other common beverages (coffee and tea) in that it has a marked nutritional composition, for example cocoa powder contains about 25 percent fat (saturated), 16 percent protein and 12 percent carbohydrate (about half are sugars).

There are two types of coca powder, natural and Dutch processed.

Natural cocoa powder tends to be acidic and in many cases, harsh because inferior quality cocoa beans are often used to produce it.

Adding alkali to natural cocoa powder mellows its flavor and darkens its color. The process adding alkali to cocoa powder was discovered in the early nineteenth century by Coenraad Van Houten, who was Dutch: that’s the reason this type of coca is known as Dutch processed cocoa powder.